Molded one-piece actuator cap for aerosol devices



Dec. 14, 1965 p, s m 3,223,287

MOLDED ONE-PIECE ACTUATOR CAP FOR AEROSOL DEVICES Filed Nov. 12, 1965 Fig] a; 2 r {4 6+ I J 66 I *6 Fig.4

IN VENTOR.

United States Patent 3,223,287 MOLDED ONE-PIECE ACTUATOR CAP FOR AERQSOL DEVECES Phili H. Sagarin, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to Valve Corporation of America, Bridgeport, Conn, 21 corporatjon of Delaware Filed Nov. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 322,815 Claims. (Cl. 222182) This invention relates to guard-type actuator caps for aerosol dispensing devices, and more particularly to molded one-piece caps having a stationary body and a movable button.

The invention concerns improvements in the molded guard-type actuator cap described and claimed in my copending applicaton, Serial No. 303,239, filed August 20, 1963, and entitled Actuator Cap Construction for Aerosol Devices. The cap of this copending application comprises a thin walled cylindrical stationary body of relatively large diameter, within which a large circular depress button is vertically movable. The top edge of the body is relatively thin and has a comparatively small annular top surface bounding the periphery of the button. During the molding operation, these parts are temporarily joined by frangible webs which intentionally break upon the occasion of the first use of the actuator.

The present invention constitutes another species of my above-identified invention, being characterized by a large diameter stationary body, a large or expansive top surface on the body, and a non-round button, said body having major portions of its top surface disposed at opposite sides of the button.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved guard-type aerosol actuator cap of the onepiece molded, two-piece operated kind as specified, wherein the cap body is of a very large or jumbo size and has expansive top surfaces, and wherein the actuator button may have various and distinctive shapes while being wholly compatible with the cap body structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved molded plastic actuator cap as above set forth, which is readily producible in simple mold equipment involving high production techniques, thereby to effect a low fabrication cost.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved guard-type one-piece molded actuator cap as outlined above, wherein the stationary body portion and the actuator button portion hold their given or molded shapes upon their removal from the mold equipment.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved molded plastic body and button combination in a cap of the kind characterized, wherein the button is especially easy and simple to operate, to effect discharge of the aerosol substance.

Features of the invention reside in the provision of an improved cap construction as outlined, which is attractive in appearance while being especially sturdy in construction and reliable in use.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters of reference are used to designate like components throughout the several views, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view, enlarged, of the improved one-piece actuator cap as provided by the invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse or axial sectional view, taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the cap structure.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the cap structure.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the cap construction.

As shown, the improved molded one-piece and operated two-piece guard-type cap construction as provided here- 3,223,287 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 in comprises essentially two salient parts, an outer stationary cap body designated generally by the numeral 10, and an inner actuator member or button designated by the numeral 12. The cap body 10 comprises an outer tubular peripheral wall 14 at the bottom of which there is an enlarged mounting portion comprising a transverse wall or shoulder 16 and an outermost depending annular flange 18, the latter having an internally disposed annular detent head 20.

The cap construction is mounted on a pressurized aerosol device comprising a cylindrical container 22 having an upper peripheral head 24 which is received in and retained by the mounting flange 18 and detent head 20 thereof. The container 22 has a top wall 26 from which there projects, in an upward direction, a vertically movable hollow valve stem 28.

In accordance with the present invention, the stationary cap body 10 has an expansive top wall divided into oppositely disposed portions 30, 32, said portions being separated by a centered elongate top opening 34 of appreciable size. The actuator or depress button 12 is disposed in the centered opening 34 and separated from the edges of the opening by a substantially uniform space as seen in FIGS. 1 and 5.

By the invention, the top wall portions 30, 32 have flanges 36, 38 depending from their interior edges, said edges constituting the opposite sides of the top opening 34. The flanges 36, 38 provide a strengthening and reinforcing means which, in conjunction with the peripheral cylindrical wall 14 impart stability to the top wall portions 30, 32 whereby the latter will hold their given or molded shapes upon removal of the piece from the mold cavity. The depending flanges 36, 38 are connected to each other by a third depending flange 40 which extends across the large end of the top opening 34.

Also provided by the invention is a relatively large and deep finger notch 42 which is provided in the top wall surface of the cap body, said finger notch having a width commensurate with the greatest width of the centered opening 34. The finger notch 42 adjoins the large end of the centered opening 34 and the transverse depending flange 40 imparts stability to the notch walls, and holds these in their given or molded shapes when the piece is removed from the mold cavity.

As seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and S, the depress button 12 also has peripheral depending flanges 44, 46 and 48 which extend along and are spaced from the respective flanges 36, 38, 40 of the cap body. The flanges 44-48 impart stability to the button itself and maintain the molded shape thereof in the same manner as the flanges 3640.

By this invention the depress button 12 is temporarily connected to the stationary body 10 by a number of integral frangible tie webs 50 which extend between the pairs of flanges 36, 44 and 38, 46 at the lower edges thereof. The tie webs 50 are molded at the same time as the cap body 10 and button 12 whereby these are initially all one piece, being removed from the mold cavity as such. However, when the actuator cap has been mounted on the aerosol container and operated for the first time, the finger pressure on the button 12 will be sutiicient to break the webs 50, whereupon the button 12 will be entirely separate from and freely movable with respect to the stationary cap body 10. The button 12 will then be carried solely by the vertically movable valve stem 28.

For this latter purpose, the button 12 has a depending hollow boss 52 carried by the substantially flat top wall 54 of the button, such wall extending to and joining the peripheral depending flanges 44, 46 and 48.

The upstanding hollow valve stem 28 is received in and frictionally gripped by the hollow depending boss 52 of the button, as clearly seen in FIG. 2.

The button 12 has a radially extended rib S6 in the underside of the top wall 54, such rib being provided with a longitudinal discharge channel 58 communicating with the 'bore 60 of the boss 52. An orifice member 62 is mounted in a suitable recess at the discharge end of the button 12, to provide the desired spray.

By the invention, the cap body 10 has a front notch 64 in the tubular peripheral wall 14, which is disposed outwardly of an end wall in the form of a depending flange 66 provided on the discharge end of the button 12. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the depending flange 66 is disposed radially inward of the front notch 64 as well as being spaced inwardly therefrom an extent, and the flange 66 tilts with respect to the vertical as seen in FIG. 2, thereby to enable the entire actuator to be readily molded as a single unitary piece in simple mold cavities.

In accordance with the invention, the discharge or orifice end of the button 12 is narrower than the remainder of the button, this being also true of the top opening 34 whereby the configuration of the button is such as to have a larger finger engageable surface, making for added convenience and ease in the operationof the actuator. The narrow orifice portion of the button is joined to the wider remainder by angularly extended edges 68, as clearly seen in FIGS. 1 and 5. The opening 34 in the cap body also has corresponding angularly extended edges 70 whereby the button and opening have generally similar configurations.

In order to centralize the operating finger on the button 12, upwardly extended side flanges 72 are provided, as shown in FIG. 2 wherein the main finger engageable surface 74 of the button is substantially horizontal or perpendicular to the axis of the cap structure, and the top surface 76 of the orifice portion slopes slightly with respect to the horizontal or the finger engageable surface 74.

The actuator cap construction as above set forth has the distinct advantage that the expansive upper surfaces 30, 32 of the cap body and also of the depress button 12 will retain their given or molded shapes by virtue of the provision of the flange configurations 3640 and 44-48. Also, the provision of such flanges provides a convenient and advantageous tie location for the frangible webs 50. By locating the webs 50 at opposite sides of the large finger engageable area 47, the webs may be readily broken by moderatefinger pressures upon the occasion of the first actuation of the cap to discharge the contents of the aerosol container. Moreover, the webs 50 may be readily molded, and the molds may be held to simple configurations by the disposition of the webs at the lower edges of the flanges 36, 38 and 44, 46 as seen in FIG. 2.

The flanged construction of the button 12 provides a desired rigidity without requiring deep side walls, this same being true of the top Wall and finger notch construction of the cap body 10. Due to the button 12 being recessed or located below the top wall surfaces or portions 30, 32, the button is well guarded against accidental or unintended operation, whereby the cap construction is of the type known as a guar cap.

The organization readily lends itself to being molded in a single piece, utilizing conventional moldingtechniques.

The provision of the deep prominent finger notch 42 constitutes a reliable means which provides for proper orientation of the actuator at the time of use.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims, and portions of the improvement may be used without others.

I claim:

1. An aerosol actuator comprising, in combination:

(a) a stationary cap body having an outer tubular peripheral wall,

(b) said body having an expansive top wall provided with a centered opening,

(c) said top wall having flanges depending from opposite edges of the top opening,

(d) a depress button disposed in said centered opening and having means engageable with a movable valve stem of an aerosol container to actuate the stem, and

(e) integral frangible tie webs extending between and joining the said button and depending flanges, temporarily supporting the button centralized in the top opening,

(f) said webs becoming severed when the button is depressed to actuate the valve stem, and thereafter the button being wholly free of the cap body.

2. An actuator as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) the cap body has a notch in said tubular peripheral wall, said notch extending to the top of the body and communicating with the top opening,

(b) said depress button having a depending wall disposed inwardly of the notch, and having an orifice in said depending wall,

(c) said depending wall being located closer to the axis of the cap body than that portion of the tubular peripheral wall which is disposed below the said notch, thereby to facilitate molding of the actuator.

3. An actuator as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) the top opening of the cap body and the depress button are elongate,

(b) one end of the button having a discharge orifice,

(c) the cap body having a deep finger notch in its top wall at the other end of the button.

4. An actuator as in claim 3, wherein:

(a) the end of the button which has the orifice and the corresponding end of the top opening are of lesser width than the remainders of the button and opening,

(b) said finger notch having a width commensurate with the said remainder of the opening.

5. An actuator as in claim 4, wherein:

(a) the frangible webs join together the said remainder of the button and the depending flanges of the said remainder of the opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,921,722 l/1960 Focht. 3,125,259 3/1964 Young 222182 X 3,133,680 5/1964 Sliwinski 222182 X LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN AEROSOL ACTUATOR COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A STATIONARY CAP BODY HAVING AN OUTER TUBULAR PERIPHERAL WALL, (B) SAID BODY HAVING AN EXPANSIVE TOP WALL PROVIDED WITH A CENTERED OPENING, (C) SAID TOP WALL HAVING FLANGES DEPENDING FROM OPPOSITE EDGES OF THE TOP OPENING, (D) A DEPRESS BUTTON DISPOSED IN SAID CENTERED OPENING AND HAVING MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH A MOVABLE VALVE STEM OF AN AEROSOL CONTAINER TO ACTUATE THE STEM, AND (E) INTEGRAL FRANGIBLE TIE WEBS EXTENDING BETWEEN AND JOINING THE SAID BUTTON AND DEPENDING FLANGES, TEMPORARILY SUPPORTING THE BUTTON CENTRALIZED IN THE TOP OPENING, (F) SAID WEBS BECOMING SEVERED WHEN THE BUTTON IS DEPRESSED TO ACTUATE THE VALVE STEM, AND THEREAFTER THE BUTTON BEING WHOLLY FREE OF THE CAP BODY. 